Pumping apparatus



l.. c. ROTTE'R 'PUMPING APPARATUS Nov. 1 5, 1938.

FiledJuly 19,- 1937 w li Patented Nov. 15, 1938 PATENT GFFICE v PUMPING APPARATUS liiiitwin C. Retter, Maplewood, Mo., assigner to liiincoln Engineering Company, St. Louis, Mo., a

' corporation of Missouri Application July 19, 1937, Serial No. 154,408

(Cl. 10S-195) l 'z clams.

This invention relates to pumping apparatus, and with regard to certain more specific features, to pumping apparatus for pumping lubricant and the like from containers such as barrels and the like.

Thisl invention is an improvement upon the apparatus disclosed in the United States Patent application of Frank S. Barks, Serial No. 101,031, filed September 16, 1936, for Pumping apparatus.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of pumping apparatus in which is obtained the advantage of a positive prime by the use of a simplified structure having a low number of parts and which lends itself to easy adaptations to various requirements; the provision of apparatus of the class described in which the priming effect is positive for various consistencies of lubricant; and the provision of apparatus of the class described which is economical to make and reliable in operation. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. k The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of f which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated one of various possible embodiments oi.'

the invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing the apparatus with its piston starting upward from the lower end of a stroke;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the piston at substantially the upper end of its stroke; and,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the piston descending.

40 Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now more particularly to' Fig. 1, there is illustrated at numeral I a body portion adapted to be attached to or rest upon the top of a lubricant-container such as a barrel. Associated with this body I is the cylinder 3 of a pumping engine. .It should be understood that the members I and 3 are suitably articulated,`

but inasmuch as the combination of these is known, such articulation is not detailed in 'the drawing. Neither has the pumping engine been shown in full.

, The engine includes a piston 5 from which extends a piston rod 1, the latter passing through apacking gland 9. 'Ihe piston rod also passes through a packing gland II in the body I and passes downwardly into the insldeof said body I.

Screwed into the lower side of the body I and extending downwardly therefrom is a pump cylinder I3. The interior of this cylinder communicates by way of the interior of the body I with an outlet I5 of said body I. The outlet I5 is adapted to have fastened thereto the usual outlet communication, such as a lubricant hose and a 5 suitable outlet control valve.

The cylinder I3 partakes of the nature of a lubricant-transr'nitting extension as well as of apump cylinder. To the lower end of the cylinder I3 is fastened a priming cylinder I1. This cylin- 10 der I1 partakes of pumping as well as of priming functions, as Will be shown.

At the lower end of the cylinder I1 is an inlet check valve I9 in whichare a plurality of relatively small openings 2|, for purposes to be de- 15 scribed.

The check 'valve I9 permits now vupwardly through an inlet opening 23 but, with the exception of the small iiow that may take place through the small openings 2|, resists return ow 20 downwardly therethrough.

At the upper end of the cylinder I'I is held a valve seat 25 with which cooperates a check valve 21, the latter surrounding an extension 29 of the 4 piston rod 'I. Packing 3l effects a seal between 254 the slidable valve 2'I and the extension 29.

A spring 33 insures normal seating of the valve 21 on its seat 25. The spring 33 reacts from a diaphragm member 35 which is held in position by a crimped portion 3'I of the cylinder 30 I3. Extension 29 passes slidably through said diaphragm 35. The diaphragm has openings 39 therein permitting the transmission of lubricant.A

0n the lower end of the extension 29 is carried a seat 4I for a piston valve or valved piston 43, 35 the latter being slidable on a stub end 45 of the extension 29. The seat 4I is carried on said stub end 45. A longitudinal hollow portion of the piston valve is shown at 4'I and lateral outlets at 49. The piston valve is packed with respect to 4 the inside wall of the cylinder II as shown at 5I.

The lance-like combination of parts shown below the body I is inserted through an opening in the head of a barrel which carries lubricant, thus placing said check valve I9 and opening 23 out or nearthe bottom of the barrel and below the surface of the fluid therein.

The operation of the apparatus with thin lubricant, assuming that an up-stroke is being started in Fig. l, is as follows:v

A charge of lubricant, assumed to be above the closed piston valve 43 and in the upper end of cylinder I1, forces the valve 2'I from its seat 25 so that said lubricant is forced up into and through the cylinder I3, and ultimately outof the opening I5 to the point 'of use. The net displaced volume above the piston valve 43 in cylinder II is greater than the difference betwee the volumetric displacements of the rod A (which recedes from cylinder I3) 4and the exten sion 29 (which enters cylinder I3) .A Thus, on the up-stroke of charge is forced by the piston valve 43 through the outlet I5.

Also, upon the up-stroke, a fresh charge of lubricant is drawn into the opening 23 by the suction effect of the rising, closed piston valve 43.

After the up-stroke has been completed, the condition of the apparatus is as shown at F18. 2, wherein the check valve I9 had re-seate'd, as well as the valve 21.

Then, upon a down-stroke, the said valves I9 and 21 remain closed. Then seat 4I flrst advances away from the piston valve 43, thus opening the valve, so that upon the downward stroke, lubricant is transferred from beneath the piston 43 to the region above it. 'I'his is called priming. The volume of fluid that may be accommodated above the piston 43 is less than that which has been drawn in below it, because of the intrusion of the extension 29 into cylinder I1 as the piston descends. 'Ihe excess lubricant finds its Way to the supply through the small openings 2I in the check valve I9: The excess cannot pass valve 21 at this time because the difference between the areas of extension 29 and rod 2 (in cylinder I3) is less than the. effective areas of parts entering cylinder` I1. Thus, upon the down stroke, more pressure is engendered above the valve 21 than below. Hence Valve 21 remains shut.

During this down-stroke, fluid is forced from the cylinder I3 by reason of the intrusion of the relatively large rod 2. As stated, the above is the operation of the apparatus when pumping relatively thin lubricantswhich substantially ll the space below piston 43 upon an upstroke, and it wlllbenoted that it is a double-acting function.

The purpose of arranging the parts of the apparatus as described is to permit it to pump heavy greases, as well as the thinner lubricants. Such heavy greases upon the reciprocation above described, are drawn in more slowly, and although they may ll only about fifty per cent. of the cylinder I1 upon an up-stroke (suction stroke), this supply is enough practically to fill or prime the volume of the cylinder I1 above the piston ,valve 43 when the latter has descended to the -has not been possible upon the up-stroke to ll the space with heavy lubricant below the piston.

" But finally, when the piston valve 43 strikes the partial charge of heavy lubricant in cylinder I1, said charge is forced from the region below. the piston valve 43 to the region above said piston valve 43. The design is such that for the heaviest lubricant this partial charge is enough to at least fill the smaller space above said piston valve 43. (The space above piston valve 43 is smaller than the space below by reason of the intrusion of the extension 29).

Although heavier lubricants send their excess with more difficulty through the openings 2|, it will be remembered that they are more difficult to draw in through the opening 23, and hence there is less excess to be returned through said openings 2|. The maximum excess to be returned is encountered in the case of the thinnest lubricant.

It is to be understood that the mushroom type of check valve such'as shown at I9 is exemplary of any equivalent type. In any casev the conneed-not be positioned around the extension 29 but may be adjacent to the rod.

The term piston valve herein refers to any suitable piston having valve means associated therewith to perform the functions of said Apiston valve 43.

One advantage of the invention is the fact that no piston needs to cross any port in order to obtain the desired results. This is an`advantage because packing which is desirable in a piston of the class for pumping lubricants is ordinarily scored by the edges of any port which is crossed. This is especially true of soft packings.

In lview of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that Aall matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A pump comprising a pump cylinder, pumping means therein, a priming cylinder, a check valve between said cylinders opening from the latter to the former, an inlet valve opening into said priming cylinder, a piston in the priming cylinder and located between said check and said inletV valves, valve means associated with said piston whereby upon movement in one direction a charge is transferred from one side of the piston to the other, said charge being forced through said check valve upon movement in the other direction, the volumetric displacement between the piston and the inlet valve being greater than the volumetric displacement between the piston and said check valve, the chamber formed by said priming cylinder and piston and inlet valve having a relatively restricting and fixed-size opening therefrom permitting return to the supply of such excessy iiuid as cannot enter said pump cylinder, the volumetric displacement of the pumping means in the pump cylinder being less than that above the piston in the priming cylinder during piston movement toward said inlet valve, said opening being of a size to permit ready flow to the source of relatively mobile fluids but substantially to resist ow of relatively thick fluids.

2. A pump comprising a pump cylinder, a priming cylinder, a check valve between said cylinders opening from the latter to the former, aninlet valve opening into said priming cylinder, a piston in the priming cylinder and located between said check and said inlet valves, valve means associated with said piston whereby upon movement in one direction a charge is transferred from one side of the piston to the other, said charge being forced through said check valve upon movement in the other direction, the chamber formed by said priming cylinder and piston and inlet -valve having a relatively restricted and fixed-size opening therefrom permitting return to the supply of such excess fluid as cannot pass said .piston valve, and means in the pump cylinder for forcing iiuid therefrom comprising an entering rod of onediameter and an extension therefrom of another diameter, said extension extending into said priming cylinder to reduce the volumetric displacement on 'the side of said piston valve adjacent the check valve to a value less than that on the other side of said piston, .the difference between the areas -of the 'extension and said entering rod in the pump cylinder beingless than the area of the extension entering the priming cylinder, said opening being of a size to permit ready flow to the source of lrelatively mobile fluids but substantially to resist iiow of relatively thick fluids.

3. A pump cylinder having an outlet and a priming cylinder, a foot valve in the priming cylinder, an outlet check valve therein, a piston in said priming cylinder between said valves, valve means associated with the piston permitting transfer of fluid from one side of the piston to the other, pumping means in said pump cylinder comprising a rod passing therethrough and having sectionsV of different diameters therein, the

section of smallest diameter passing into said priming cylinder and reciprocating said piston,

the chamber formed by said piston and foot valve and priming cylinder vhaving a fixed-sized restricted communication to the outside, the volumetric displacement of the pump means in said pump cylinder being less than the volumetric displacement of the section of the rodin said priming cylinder, whereby said outlet check valve closesl during one stroke and fluid vpasses when necessary outwardly through said communication, said communication being of a size to permit ready flow to the source of relatively mobile fluids but substantially to resist flow of relatively thick iiuids..

4. A pump cylinder having an outlet and a coaxial priming cylinder, a foot valve in the prim- 'through and having sections of different diameters, the section o f smallest diameter passing into said priming cylinder and reciprocating said piston valve, the volumetric displacement of the priming cylinder above the piston valve being greater than the difference Abetween the volumetric displacements of the rod sections in the pump cylinder, and the volumetric displacement of the priming cylinder below said piston being greater than its volumetric displacement above said piston by an amount adapted to insure positive priming above said piston with the most sluggish fluids, the chamber formed by the region between said piston and foot valve having communication with the outside of the cylinder through said relatively restricted openings, said openings beingof sizes to permit ready flow to the source of relatively mobile fluids but substantially to resist flow of relatively thick fluids.

5. A pump comprising a pump cylinder, a priming cylinder, a. check valve between said cylinders and opening from the latter to the former, a piston reciprocating in the priming cylinder, valve means associated withsaid piston permitlescape throughsaid opening.

6. A pump comprising a pump cylinder having an outlet, ,a priming cylinder associated therewith, a rod of a given diameter reciprocating in said pump cylinder, a smaller extension from said rod and emerging from said pump cylinder and passing into said priming cylinder, a check valve between the priming cylinder and the pump cylinder permitting, only flow from the former to the latter, a piston in the priming cylinder driven by said extension, valve means associated with the piston, the difference between the volumetric displacements of said rod` and said extension within said pump cylinder being adapted to e'ect pumping on one stroke, the volumetric displacement above said piston in said priming cylinder being greater than said difference of volumetric displacements, whereby pumping may be effected upon the reverse stroke, the volumetric displacement below said piston in said priming cylinder also being greater than the volumetric displacement in the priming cylinder above said piston to effect priming, said priming cylinder having an inlet, a check valve in said inlet, and fixed-size restricted openings in said check valve, said openings being of sizes to permit readyiiow to the source of relatively mobile fluids but substantially to resist ow of relatively thick fluids.

7. Pumping apparatus comprising a pump cylinder, la priming cylinder, said pump cylinder having an outlet, a reciprocating rod having two different diameters within the pump cylinder, its portion of smallest diameter extending into the priming cylinder, a valved piston in said priming cylinder attached to said extension, an inlet check valve in the priming cylinder and an outlet check` etered rods in said pump cylinder, said outside communication being of a size to permit ready. flow to the source of relatively mobile uids but substantially to resist flow of relatively thick fluids.

LUTWIN C. ROTIER'.

`der closing said outlet check valve and forcing .f 

